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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

This week's roundup of joy and delight.

joy, good news

Upworthy's weekly collection of happiness.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the "10 things that made us smile" list was too full of awesome people doing awesome things that week to include any delightful animals. That was great news for us humans, but still a sad omission, so I did promise to bring the doggos back.

I'm happy to announce the doggos are indeed back. And the kitties. And the birdies. Even some goats and a lemur, for good measure.

There's a lot happening in the U.S. and around the world right now that deserves our attention and energy and even our righteous anger. But there's also a lot to delight in and celebrate. Small joys help sustain us through hard times, and a story or video that makes us smile can be just the moment of peace our hearts need.


Whether it's a cute kid or a hilarious pet or an amazing human representing the best of us, reminders of hope and happiness can be found everywhere. Here are 10 of them to help carry you through the weekend.

1. This woman who goes back to help an elder cross the street in the rain.

I love that she had been waiting under an awning and started rushing across the street, trying not to get wet, and then when the realization dawned on her, she immediately went back and took her time to help the old woman cross the street safely. Beautiful example of selfless service to a fellow human being.

2. Why can't we all just sit and hold hands with lemur on a bench?

I have zero idea what's happening here or why, but it's adorable.

3. Uncle kills it with his niece in the father-daughter dance.

Here's to those who show up and step up when they're needed.

4. Mom shares the heartwarming results of positive parenting with her toddlers.

@lauralove5514

Gentle parenting doesnt always yeild immediate reaulya because it is nog fear based BUT if you are consistent, you WILL see them actively use what they learn ♥️ Be patient! #fyp #foryou #toddlermom #parenting #gentleparenting #breakingthecycle #positivediscipline #respectfulparenting #viral

"'Scuse me, I need some attention." I know a lot of adults who should have learned to express that with their words. Good job, mama. (Follow @lauralove5514 on TikTok.)

5. Cairo the parrot uses his words to express his displeasure with the cat invading his space.

@feathersandfriends

Cairo’s house is a no-cat zone! #parrots #cairothegrey #africangrey #parrotsoftiktok

Cairo isn't messing around. "Stop being a gerbil." "Smarten up, man." And that finger-snapping sound! Cairo is too smart. 

6. Paul Rudd made an incredibly kind gesture to a bullied kid who had no one to sign his yearbook

When Brody's mom shared that her son came home crushed that no one wanted to sign his yearbook, her plea for kindness went viral. Paul Rudd saw it and called Brody to talk to him. Then he sent him some Ant-Man gear and a sweet note of encouragement. Definitely a kindness this kiddo will never forget. Read the full story here.

7. Lost baby goat gets reunited with its mama, and you 100% want the sound up for this.

Awwwww.

8. Heroic teen saved three girls and a police officer from drowning in a river.

Corion Evans deserves all the kudos for his quick thinking and selfless bravery. Read the full story here.

9. This 1991 blooper clip of Robin Williams and Elmo is just too delightful.

Robin Williams was such a gem.

10. The way this kitty instantly plays it cool after being discovered.

"Who me? I'm just here checking the wall. Yeah, the wall. That's it."

BONUS: May your weekend be as exciting as this doggo seeing his friend.

Hope that made you smile! Come back again next Friday for another roundup of joy.

Family

Naming twins is an art. Here are some twin names people say are the best they've ever heard.

With twins, all the regular pressures of having a baby are doubled, including choosing a name.

Are you in favor of rhyming twin names? Or is it too cutesy?

Having twins means double the fun, and double the pressure. It’s a fairly known rule to name twins in a way that honors their unique bond, but that can lead to overly cutesy pairings that feel more appropriate for nursery rhyme characters than actual people. Plus, it’s equally important for the names to acknowledge each twin’s individuality. Again, these are people—not a matching set of dolls. Finding the twin baby name balance is easier said than done, for sure.

Luckily, there are several ways to do this. Names can be linked by style, sound or meaning, according to the baby name website Nameberry. For example, two names that share a classic style would be Elizabeth and Edward, whereas Ione and Lionel share a similar rhythm. And Frederica and Milo seem to share nothing in common, but both mean “peaceful.”

Over on the /NameNerds subreddit, one person asked folks to share their favorite twin name pairings, and the answers did not disappoint.

One person wrote “Honestly, for me it’s hard to beat the Rugrats combo of Phillip and Lillian (Phil and Lil) 💕”

A few parents who gave their twin’s names that didn’t inherently rhyme until nicknames got involved:

"It's the perfect way! Christmas cards can be signed cutely with matching names, but when they act out you can still use their full name without getting tripped up.😂"

"The parents of a good friend of mine did this: her name is Allison and her sister is Callie. Their names don’t match on the surface, but they were Alli and Callie at home."

“Alice and Celia, because they’re anagrams! Sound super different but have a not-so-obvious implicit connection.”

This incited an avalanche of other anagram ideas: Aidan and Nadia, Lucas and Claus, Liam and Mila, Noel and Leon, Ira and Ria, Amy and May, Ira and Ari, Cole and Cleo…even Alice, Celia, and Lacie for triplets.

Others remembered name pairs that managed to sound lovely together without going into cutesy territory.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesThese matching bunny ears though. Photo credit: Canva

“I know twin toddler boys named Charlie and Archie and they go so well together,” one person commented.

Another wrote, “Tamia and Aziza. I love how they follow the same sound pattern with the syllable endings (-uh, -ee, -uh) without being obnoxiously matchy matchy.”

Still another said, “Lucy and Logan, fraternal girl/boy twins. I think the names sound so nice together, and definitely have the same 'vibe' and even though they have the same first letter they aren't too matchy-matchy.”

Other honorable mentions included: Colton and Calista, Caitlin and Carson, Amaya and Ameera, Alora and Luella, River and Rosie, and Eleanor and Elias.

One person cast a vote for shared style names, saying, “If I had twins, I would honestly just pick two different names that I like separately. I tend to like classic names, so I’d probably pick Daniel and Benjamin for boys. For girls my two favorites right now are Valerie and Tessa. I think Val and Tess would be cute together!”

Overall though, it seems that most folks were fans of names that focused on shared meaning over shared sound. Even better if there’s a literary or movie reference thrown in there.

twin names, twins, babies, baby namesMany adult twins regret that their names are so closely linked together. Photo credit: Canva

“My mom works in insurance, so I asked her. She’s seen a lot of unique ones, but the only twins she remembers are Gwenivere [sic] and Lancelot... bonus points... little brother was Merlin,” one person recalled.

Another shared, “If I had twin girls, I would name them Ada and Hedy for Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr, both very early computer/tech pioneers. Not that I’m that into tech, I just thought it was a brilliant combination.”

Other great ones: Susan and Sharon (think the original “Parent Trap”), Clementine and Cara (types of oranges), Esme and Etienne (French descent), Luna and Stella (moon and stars), Dawn and Eve, plus various plant pairings like Lily and Fern, Heather and Holly, and Juniper and Laurel.

Perhaps the cleverest name pairing goes to “Aubrey and Zoe,” since…wait for it… “they’re A to Z.”

It’s easy to see how naming twins really is a cool opportunity for parents to get creative and intentional with their baby naming. It might be a challenge, sure, but the potential reward is having the most iconic set of twins ever. Totally worth it!


This article originally appeared last year.

A woman on a quest.

Have you set out lofty goals only to come up short? You deeply cared about the goal, made a plan to achieve it, but somehow felt short along the way. Does it feel like it’s now harder to re-attempt the goal because you couldn’t make it work the first time?

If you feel frustrated that you haven’t been able to achieve your aspirations, the key to achieving them may be in reframing how you think of them. If you dream big, your goal isn’t simple with a starting point and a target outcome. It’s something more dramatic, dynamic, and fulfilling: it’s a quest. When setting out to achieve a goal, many quit when things get frustrating, but when you’re on a quest, that’s when things start getting interesting.


How to turn your goals into quests

David Cain, creator of Raptitude, a blog dedicated to getting better at being human, perfectly described the difference between a goal and a quest in a 2024 post.

“A quest is an adventure, and you expect it to be one. You expect a quest to take you into a new and unfamiliar landscape. You expect there to be puzzles, surprises, perils, and curious encounters. A bridge you counted on will be out. You’ll meet an interesting stranger on the path. You’ll hear wolves howling at night. This is all part of the fun. The goal mentality frames this stuff as setbacks, problems, pains—stuff in the way of the goal,” Cain writes.


Having a quest, instead of a goal, also comes with the promise that you will experience a significant positive personal change by the end of the journey. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker learns to embrace faith over technology to defeat the Galactic Empire. At the end of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her companions realize that they already had what they thought they lacked. What will you learn about yourself on your quest?

“A quest is personally transformative—the endeavor itself shapes who you are, and what you’re capable of. It’s not only the reward that does this, it’s your inevitable encounters with the unfamiliar, and the new capabilities you gain as you handle these encounters,” Cain writes. “You don’t just get the novel started, you become a writer. You don’t just declutter the house, you get your house in order.”


How to handle barriers on the way to achieving a goal

Another way to understand the “map” of your quest is through this cool visual tool, the infographic, The Emotional Journey of Creating Anything Great, which shows how every good idea eventually leads to a place where it seems unachievable, before you push through the challenging parts and reach the finish line.

Ultimately, a quest is all about embracing change to achieve your goal and become a better person. Baked into the idea of the quest is the understanding that you have to change; therefore, recognizing that there will be pitfalls on the road is all part of the deal. This understanding could give you the extra spike in resilience that you need to slay any dragons, climb a misty mountain, or send that one email to ask a publisher to put your book on the shelves.

via Mattew Barra/Pexels
There's one word you can't say on a cruise ship.

There are some things you just don't say. You don't yell out "bomb!" on an airplane, make jokes about carrying weapons while going through security, or, as Michael Scott from The Office knows, loudly proclaim that a boat you're currently on is sinking.

Those are all pretty obvious examples, but sometimes etiquette and decorum are a little more subtle. If you're not experienced in the ways of the venue you're in, you might not know all the unspoken rules. And you might find out the hard way. Cruise ships, for example, have their own very specific set of rules and regulations that guests should abide by.

On December 10, 2023, Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas set sail on the Ultimate World Cruise—a 274-day global trek that visits 11 world wonders and over 60 countries.


cruise, 9-month cruise, Marc Sebastian, cruise life, vacation, titanic, unspoken rules, etiquette, cruise etiquette, royal caribbean 9 months is a very long time to be aboard a boat, even a giant cruise ship. Photo by Peter Hansen on Unsplash

This incredible trip covered the Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Mediterranean and Europe with a ticket price that ranges from $53,999 to $117,599 per passenger.

With such a unique and incredible offering, it's understandable that Royal Caribbean wanted to invite plenty of influencers to help them get the word out.

Aboard the Serenade to the Seas was popular TikToker Marc Sebastian, who documented his experience throughout the journey. In one video with over 4.3 million views, he revealed what he’s learned over his first few weeks aboard the ship; the biggest was the one word you’re not allowed to say.

"So here's [what] I've learned about cruising since I've spent 18 nights on this floating retirement home with a Cheesecake Factory attached. First, number one, you're not supposed to talk about the Titanic," he says in the clip.

Titanic! It's the ultimate taboo when you're on a giant ship traversing the ocean. Even after all these years, it's still too soon to make even lighthearted comparisons or jokes.

@marcsebastianf

someone get whoopi on the line girl i have some goss for her #ultimateworldcruise #worldcruise #serenadeoftheseas #cruisetok #cruise #9monthcruise #titanic

“Who knew that? I didn’t,” Sebastian said. “I brought it up to an entire room of people having lunch that our ship is only 100 feet longer than the Titanic — when I tell you that utensils dropped. Waiters gasped. It’s dead silent.”

Sebastian was flabbergasted. "It wasn't in the... handbook," he joked. "Not that I read the handbook, clearly."

After the unexpected reaction, his cruise friend told him, “You’re not allowed to talk about the Titanic.” It makes sense.

Who wants to be reminded of the tragedy that killed around 1,500 people while sinking one of the most impressive engineering feats of the era? More experienced cruisers chimed in that they were familiar with the unique piece of etiquette.

cruise, 9-month cruise, Marc Sebastian, cruise life, vacation, titanic, unspoken rules, etiquette, cruise etiquette, royal caribbean Pro tip: Don't ask the band on board to play "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion Giphy

"When I went on a cruise, my mom told me saying Titanic was equivalent to screaming ‘bomb’ at an airport," Mikayla wrote in the comments.

"It’s like saying Macbeth in a theatre, it’s an unspoken rule" another commenter added.

"I’m sorry you’re telling me you had a Harry Potter like experience saying Voldemort at Hogwarts but it was the titanic on a modern day cruise I’m cryingggg" joked another.

Later in the video covering little known cruise facts, Sebastian admits he was surprised to learn that cruise ships have godmothers and that the pools are filled with seawater.

In an update from June of 2024, Sebastian explains that he only stayed on the cruise for 18 nights. He was not booked to stay throughout the entire voyage, and for him, that was a relief.

He initially jokes that he was kicked off the boat for saving a penguin that had jumped aboard. But in the end, he admits he was more than happy to deboard early.

"I walked off that ship not a happy man," he said, saying the ship was overstimulating and stressful. In another video, he films as the ship navigates the Drake Passage, one of the most notoriously dangerous and choppy stretches of water in the world. It looks stressful indeed, to say the least.

Cruising isn't for everyone, let alone for 274 days straight! But now Sebastian knows the golden rule for his next cruise.

This story originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

Maybe the folks who do these things aren't as smart as they think they are.

We’ve all come across people that have immediately struck us as intelligent. There are, undeniably, certain quirks or traits that immediately give off an air of knowing more than the average joe.

However, there are just as many behaviors assumed to be signs of intellect, that really aren’t. Or even if they do historically denote a higher IQ, people hijack these traits in an effort to seem smarter. In an age of blatant misinformation and fake experts…iknowinghow to spot the difference seems more vital than ever.

That's why the answers to this question, “What is NOT a sign of intelligence, but people think it is?posed on Reddit, could be helpful. Or at the very least, it’ll give you a boost of vindication for not thinking that one guy at trivia night was the genius everyone else thought he was.

Below are the 10 most popular themes we pulled.

Having an opinion on everything

“Smart people that I know refrain from giving opinions on things they don't know. Partly because they have good awareness of what they actually know…I also think that the more intelligent you are, the more you recognize the nuance in every subject, and therefore it becomes more difficult to state a flat-out, black and white opinion.”

“The absolute inability of some people to simply say ‘I don’t know’ is astounding. They’ll speculate vague scenarios for an hour without even being able to explain where they believe they are getting their hunches.”


Challenging or contradicting everything people say

“I have a colleague that does this and I've started to disengage and let them dig their own hole because some of the contrarian positions she takes is just plain stupid.”

“I’ve noticed a lot of people who are like this tend to also have a self-righteous attitude.”


"Telling it like it is”

“In my experience people who ‘tell it like it is’ are generally on the lower side of intelligence and ‘how it is’ is a very simplified and juvenile understanding if not based on outright falsehoods.”

“When people tell me they’re brutally honest I just assume they enjoy the brutality more than the honesty.”

“It’s a sign they don’t have the intelligence to say anything with tact or differentiate between what should and shouldn’t be said.”


Talking fast with a lot of words

Many referred to this as gish galloping, which is a debate technique used to overwhelm an opponent by presenting an excessive number of arguments, without regard for their accuracy or strength, with a rapidity that makes it impossible for the opponent to address them in the time available.

“I transcribe audio for a living. I find a lot of people who talk fast don't actually say more. There's a lot of repetition, filler words and phrases, and they very rarely have well organized thoughts/conversations so they're just harder to follow. I know some people just talk like that so I'm not mad at them, and sometimes people who talk like that are still actually geniuses and it's because their brain is moving faster than their mouth is, but usually not.”


Having confidence

“I’ve seen people who are, well, not stupid, but certainly not the smartest people in the conversation, get treated like geniuses because they have the confidence and presentation side of things nailed.”

“In my life, I have met some truly intelligent people…I am not one of those people, but I was given the gift of presentation. Without question, my career has been built upon appearing, sounding and looking like I am one of those people. It is honestly scary how willingly people will give you power and responsibility for essentially being a good actor.”

“Just because people are able to speak confidently, it doesn't necessarily mean they have anything of substance to say.”

“This misconception is 90% of politics.”


Writing a book

“Any fool can spew some crap into a word document and ‘publish’ it as a book. If you see some expert on TV and their only credential is ‘author of…’ you should be very skeptical.”

“My wife is an editor, trust me, some people who write books are barely literate. I feel like she has as much a hand in writing some of these books as the author does. Especially when it needs a heavy developmental edit.”

“Following some authors on social... has been eye opening.”


Wearing glasses

Historically, glasses have been associated with brainy activities like studying and reading, hence why so many smarty pants characters in pop culture sport a pair of specs. And interestingly enough, there was a study in 2018 that indicated there was some truth to the stereotype. However, now that all of our eyes are glued onto screens for the majority of the day, which has a collective effect on our vision, I’d wonder if those stats would still hold up.

Some glasses-wearing folks in the conversation certainly had opinions on the matter.

“Can confirm, I wear glasses and I’m the dumbest person I’ve met.”

“I have glasses and I don’t mean to put myself down but I’m not as smart as people think I am. lol. It’s exhausting.”


Labelling emotions as ‘irrational’

“If people ever studied neuroscience they’d learn that our emotional processing system is literally right next to our memory system, and highly connected with our decision making and memory consolidation. Emotions are in part an evolutionary design that makes us so intelligent. When the links between these are impaired our ability to make rational, logical decisions is impaired.”

“I find the people who think they’re really logical and detached often tend to be highly emotional individuals who just struggle with other people’s emotions and their own emotional regulation. They are the kind of people who shut themselves down and then break out in a rage. Obviously not everyone, but it seems to be common in some people with autism and other conditions that affect the ability to emotionally regulate to see logic as disassociated from emotions.”


Being cynical

“Being miserable or trying to tear down every idea or opinion that comes your way doesn't equate to being intelligent or even interesting.”

“The most intelligent people I've met in life have been extremely optimistic and excited during conversations.”

“I’ve always called cynicism a low form of analysis. You do need to be somewhat smarter than average to challenge existing constructs. However, true intelligence is shown by taking the next step, which is formulating alternatives. Being cynical alone is actually buying into an existing structure without imagination—it is simply recognizing that something that someone else created is bad.”

“It’s fine to think of the potential negative outcomes to events, or possible negative motivations of people so you can be aware to watch out for them but if you’re realistic about actual probability, none of that will hold you back from being optimistic.”

“Most of the stupidest people I've met have also been the most mean spirited and pessimistic.”


Speaking with a British accent

Okay, this was a funny one, but a pertinent one nonetheless.

“Lol, Americans don't even differentiate between different British accents. They think a brummy accent - which to UK ears sounds like borderline brain damage - sounds smart.”

“It's only a sign of a very specific kind of intelligence... namely MI6”

Image via Canva/blackCAT

Productive people share their 2-minute daily habits for more better productivity.

Being productive requires your focus, determination, and discipline to get things done and achieve your personal and professional goals. Productive people excel at finding ways to minimize distraction and effectively use the 24 hours in each day. Luckily, becoming more productive can happen in two minutes or less.

A group of productive people in the subreddit r/Productivity put their brains together to respond to member erddre23, who asked: "What’s one '2-minute' habit that genuinely changed your week?"

They openly shared their tips and tricks for becoming more productive (and in return, happier) in a short amount of time. These are 15 two-minute habits from productive people to consider adding to your daily routine.

productive, productivity, become more productive, to do list, to-do list gif Happy Game Over GIF by QuickBooks Giphy

"Create a not-to-do list. Stick all the things that are in your head but you're not going to do on there. Great way to focus and declutter my brain. I use it as a brain dump, when looking at my tasks. So it’s things that I consider need doing but on closer inspection can just be dropped. Basic premise is, there’s way too much to do, I over estimate how important things are, only a select few things really matter." - Serious-Put6732

"Even quicker .. try BJ Foggs 'Maui Habit'. Soon as your feet hit the ground after you wake, tell yourself 'today is going to be a great day' and 'feel' it." - Different-Ad8308

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Starting with just 2 minutes on a big task makes it way less scary, and once I start, i usually keep going for hours. my procrastination usually kicks in when things feel too big to even begin." - Alternative_Owl5866

"Anything you want to start, but feel like is too big of a task, break it down in the simplest, easiest form. If you haven’t built up the motivation to read that book, then just read 5 words of the book (I’m serious). focus on consistency - just do." - babatundaeeeee

"Honestly, just taking 2 minutes every morning to jot down the top three things I really want to get done that day has totally changed my week." - sarthakdesigngrow

productive, productivity, being productive, knocking stuff out, getting stuff done Shit To Do Big Brother GIF by Big Brother After Dark Giphy

"Don’t look at your phone within the first 2 mins of waking up." - Deep-Explanation1024

"For me it’s washing dishes right after I eat takes way less time than I think, and my kitchen never feels like a war zone anymore." - felipemsimon0

"Mine - breathing morning practice. Breathe in, breathe out. Before starting my daily routine. Technically, it's for calming down... but it's also the foundation for something bigger, like mindfulness. The practice helps me relax, set a positive tone for the day, and visualize the big picture, among other things" - EpicTale_Production

breathe in, breathe out, breathing, breathing exercise, breath worth Relaxing Inner Peace GIF by Naomi Sharon Giphy

"Literally two minutes. I stretch my neck in three directions on each side for 20s." - SgtRevDrEsq

"Journaling, nothing too complicated: just starting my morning with some pep talk (I get too lost in my head sometimes) and reminding myself of things I need to get done (e.g. drink more water, stretching every time I take a bathroom break, work on a report). To-do lists stopped working with me for years now, but these mental reminders somehow keep me on track for the day. It feels like executing a code in my brain that helps me be more conscious of my actions and makes me less inclined to live on autopilot." - Dry-Key-9510

"Making my bed every morning. I know it’s cliche but it’s legit changed my life." - Jealous-Function-105

make the bed, making the bed, making bed gif, organized room, bed made Hannah Simone Fox GIF by New Girl Giphy

"I get gas on the way home instead of on the way out. NOTHING pisses me off more than urgently needing gas when I’m on a time crunch, which I often am 🤣." - Acrobatic-Beach-5581

"Getting tomorrow ready before going to bed. I pick out which clothes to wear. I set out a place setting for breakfast. I'll put the chips and fresh fruit in my cooler, for tomorrow's lunch. Doing this makes the morning easier to breeze through." - LordBofKerry

"I started doing pushups just as a means to get exercise in my downtime. I started with 10 pushups a day. Now I’m doing 75 a day. I’ve been doing this for such a long time that not doing pushups feels weird now." - ChickyBoys

"Define your vision, hang it on a wall, and read it every morning for two minutes. It's way easier to prioritize and say no if you know exactly where you're going and keep reminding yourself of it." - CarpenterFlat3590